Automatic railroad-switch



H. F. FARMER AND J. M. JONES.

' AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.28, l9l9- 1,370,41 9. Patenmd Mar. 1, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J M. cfones. H F Farmer H. F. FARMER AND J. M. JONES.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1919.

1 370,4 1 9, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inuenvwra c/T H. Jana H F firmer? H. F. FARMER AND J. M. JONES.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION men may. 28, m9.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- J. M. ciimas.

H. F. FARMER AND J. M. JONES.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-28, m9.

1 ,370,41 9, Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEEI 4.

Inrewa ra c]: M. Jones F Fkrmer:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM F. FARMER AND JAMES M. JONES, 0F MANCHESTER, KENTUCKY;

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

Application filed November 28, 1919. Serial No. 341,297.

To (M w 710m it may concern Be it known that we, HIRAM F. F ARMER and JABIES M. Jones, citizens of the United States, residin at Manchester, in the county of Clay and tate of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railroad-Switches; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved railroad switch and actuating mechanism and one object of the invention is to so construct the switch and actuating mechanism that the switch may be thrown by mechanism associated with the switch and operated by mechanism turned by the engine of a train, thus permitting the switch to be thrown to direct the train upon a side track from the main line without it being necessary to stop the train.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this mechanism that it be caused to operate at the will of the engineer thus permitting the train to be side tracked or permit it to pass over the switch and continue along the main line according to the wishes of the engineer.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for returning the switch to the normal position, the train carrying means which may be brought into engagement with actuating means for a latch releasably retaining the switch in a thrown position and thus permitting the switch to be released and returned to the normal position by resilient means connected therewith.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the mechanism that the switch may be thrown when it is desired to enter or come out of a siding and the switch then returned to the normal position after entering or leaving the sidin Another object of the invention is to so construct this mechanism that it will be comparatively simple in construction and operation.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view or" a track showing the improved switch and operating mechanism associated, therewith.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken alc ng the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

4; is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 44l of Fig. 1.

mechanism of Fig. 5 in elevation and partially in section.

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing the latch releasing mechanism which is associated with one of the cars of the train.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing a slightly modified construction.

The switch is for directing a train from the main line 10 to the side track 11 and is provided with the usual switch points 12 which are pivotally mounted for horizontal swinging movement. These switch points are connected with bars 13 which extend beneath the rails or the track and are connected with a spring 1 1 which has suificient strength to retain the switch points. in a normal position for directing a train along the main line. This spring is secured to the vertical arm 15 which is pivotally mounted, as shown at 16, and connected with the cross bars 13 through the medium of a bolt or rod '17. This arm 15 forms part of a lever 18 which extends beneath the track and is pivotally connected with the lower end oi? the plunger 19, which plunger extends upwardly between the bars 13 and has its upper end connected with one of the rails 20 which extend longitudinally of the track and have their inner ends pivotally connected by links 21 and their outer ends pivotally connected with the brackets or blocks 22. It should be noted that these links 21 are slidably as well as pivotallyconnected with one of the rails 20 so that the rails may have the proper movement;

spring let in retaining the switch points in the normal position. a

It is desired to have the switch points releasably held in the adjusted position after they have been thrown to gu1de a train onto the side track and in order to do so there has, been provided a latching block 26 from which extends a stem 27 which is slidably mounted in a socket 28 and engaged by a spring 29 so that this latch block will be yieldably held in a raised position. This latch block is provided with a side arm 30 (see Fig. 3) which extends beneath one of "the switch points and has its free end portion cut out to provide a seat 31 to receive the'switch point; Since the latch block is yieldably held in a raised position, it will be readily seen that when the switch points are yswung to the adjusted position the spring 29 will move the latch block upwardly thus bringing the switch point intothe seat 31 and preventing the switch point from returning to the normal position until the latch has been moved downwardly. In order to permit the latch block to be moved downwardly, there has been provided rails 32 which are arranged in pairs and have their inner end portions pivetally and slidably connected by links 33 and their outer end portions pivotally connected with the brackets or blocks 3%. One'rail of each set will be connected with the upstanding arms 35 of the latch block through which the guide strips or pins 36 pass and when one of these sets of rails 32 is pressed upon the latch block will be moved downwardly thus releasing the switch point which fits into its seat and permitting'the switch points to be returned to the normal position under influence of the spring 14.

The switch throwing mechanism is to be controlled by the engineer from the cab and in order to do so, there has been provided actuating mechanism which will be operated by steam passing through a pipe 37 and communicatin with a hollow arm 38 which is extended ltl'OIH a collar 39 loosely mounted upon a bearing 40 rigid upon the axle 41 of the locomotive. This collar or sleeve 39 is provided with an upwardly extending bracket arm 42 which has its upper end portion connected with the truck to hold the device firmly in place and prevent side play. A cylinder 43 is provided with an enlarged head l4: which is connected with the lower end of the arm 38 so that steam may enter the cylinder and act upon the head 45 of the piston' l6 to move the piston downi wardly against the action of the spring 47.

A wheel 48, which is similar to a trolley wheel, is mounted in a harp 49 carried by the piston and is adapted to engage the ralls 20 when the piston is moved downwardly 1 thus causing the rails to be pressed downwardly to throw the switch when the engine passes over these rails.

In order to operate the actuating mechanism for the latch release, there will be provided upon each car of the train a hand operated device consisting of a shaft or plunger 50 which is slidably mounted in a bearing 51 carried by arms 52 which will be secured to the car and preferably to the platform thereof. This plunger carries a harp 53 in which the wheel 5% is mounted. The trolley wheel will engage one of the sets of rails 32 and the latch will be moved downwardly thus releasing the switch point which it engages and permitting the switch point to be returned to the normal position. In order to move the plunger downwardly, there has been provided a shaft 55 which is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings and carries a gear 56 which engages the rack teeth 57 formed upon the upper end portion of the plunger 50. This shaft 55. may be rotated through the medium of a hand wheel 58, which wheel may be mounted directly upon the shaft or may be carried by a vertically extending shaft 59 which carries a gear 60 meshing with a gear 61 carried by the shaft 55. It will thus be seen that the engineer may operate the switch thrower actu ating mechanism to throw the switch and permit the train to enter the side track apd the brakeman may operate the means ror actuating the latch release structure thus releasing the switch points and permitting the switch to return to the normal position after the train has entered the siding. It is obvious that it desired a device for operating the neans releasing the latch may be provided upon the locomotive so that in case the train crew should forget to return the switch to the normal position afterentering the siding and this should be noted by the engineer oi? a train following, the engineer could return the switch to the proper position thus permitting the secondtrain to continue along the main line. It will be further noted that if it is desired to leave a certain switch open so that a number of cars may be moved from the main line onto the siding without it being necessary to actuate the switch at every shifting that the switch may be thrown when first entering the siding and left in the adjusted position until the shifting is completed, at which time the switch could then be returned to the normal position. There has therefore been provided a very efiicient switch operating means for the purpose set forth. I

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that the switch points 12 rest normally in position to guide the rolling stock along the main line. As the rolling stock however, the engineer or other train man will operate the switch throwing mechanism by permitting steam to pass through the pipe 37 and thereby force downwardly into operative position the piston L6 and cause the wheel l8 carried thereby to engage one of the rails 20 and cause the rails 20 to be pressed downwardly to throw the switch and thereby open the side track.

It will further be apparent that the switch will be caught and automatically locked in its thrown position, as previously described in detail and held in such locked thrown position until the wheel 54: of the releasing mechanism comes in contact with one of the rails 32 and forces the same downvardly to depress the latching block 26 and thereby permit the switch point 12 to return to normal position. It is believed that the complete operation of this invention may now be readily understood without detailed description thereof.

\Vhile the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lVhat is claimed:

1. A structure of the character described comprising a main line, a side track, switch points movably mounted in operative relation to the main line and side track and yieldably retained in a normal position, means for moving the switch points out of the normal position including a contactrail extending for engagement by a train element, latch slidably mounted and yieldably retained in position for retaining the switch points in a set position, the latch having upstanding arms, and contact rails movably mounted and extending longitudinally of the track and engaging the upstanding arms for moving" the latch out of an operative position when one of the contact rails is engaged by a train element.

2. A structure of the character described comprising a main line, a side track, switch points movably mounted in operative relation to the main line and side track, means for moving the switch points to a set position including a plunger slidaby mounted, a contact rail extending longitudinally of the track and having engagement with the plunger, a sl-idably mounted latch yieldably retained in position for releasably locking the switch points in a set position, and contact rails engaging the latch and positioned upon opposite sides of the first mentioned contact rail.

3. A structure of the character described comprising a main line, a side track, switch points movably mounted in operative relation to the main line and side track, a plunger mechanism for moving the switch point to a set position, the plunger of the plunger mechanism being slidably mounted, an operating rail connected with said plunger and positioned between the rails of the main line and the side track, a spring actuated latch mechanism to lock the switch points in thrown position, releasing rails resting upon said spring actuated latching mechanism and adapted to force the latter downwardly to release the switch points when said releasing rails are depressed by train latch actuating mechanism, and means for returning the released switch points to normal position.

In testimony whereof we ai'iix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HIRAM F. FARMER. JAMES M. JONES. lditnesses to signature of Hiram. F. Farmer:

ROBERT SMITH, 7181. FARMER. Witness to signature J. M. Jones:

C. B. Mourns. 

